Are You Sick Because of Fall?

For most people, the transition from summer to fall is welcome. Uncomfortable heat and humidity are replaced by cooler, crisp days, often filled with sunshine and beautiful color. But is the change in conditions making you sick?

Well, colder weather itself doesn’t make you sick. However, “Colder temperatures also force you inside, which can increase disease transmission,” Dr. Alexandra Sowa of the New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medicine tells The Washington Post.

Being stuck inside, often in close quarters with others, can increase your exposure to sickness-causing germs. And the drier air, both inside and out, can reduce the healthy mucus in your body, leaving you more open to disease.

Dr. Sowa recommends using a humidifier in the home, to keep your respiratory system from getting dried out. Also, fight germs by washing your hands and getting a flu shot. Those steps can help you enjoy fall without falling sick.